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Astrology Names Index

Air Signs - the mental or intellectual signs: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius. Considered collectively, sometimes termed the Air asterism.

Akasa (Akasha) - the fifth element of Pythagoras. A celestial ether or astral light that fills all space. According to occult teaching and action which takes place in the material world is recorded in this akashic medium, whereby one possessed of psychic vision can read and translate the panorama of history; the Akashic Records. They also hint that someday science will be able to tap this record, probably through some application of radio reception, and draw upon and even re-enact the words and actions of past ages. Cf. Blavatsky's "Secret Doctrine."

Albedo - literally, whiteness. A measure of the reflecting power of a planet, in ration to its absorptive capacity; expressed in a figure which represents the amount of light reflected from an unpolished surface in proportion to the total amount of light falling upon it. The albedo of the Moon and Mercury is 7; Venus 59; Earth 44; and Mars 15. Thus, the changeable character manifested by Moon and Mercury is seen to be connected in some way with their low reflective capacity. An entirely different set of Lunar characteristics comes of the fact that as the Moon approaches an opposition to the Sun its surface temperature rises some 70-odd degrees above boiling point, and in consequence it emits a wide band of infra-red frequencies that are several times more powerful than any of the rays it reflects from the Sun. During the first few minutes of a Lunar eclipse, the surface temperature falls to a sub-zero level and the infra-red emanation ceases. The dimly-lit surface of the Moon at the Lunation is due to light reflected back from the Earth, which with its high albedo would appear to the Moon-dweller as four times larger and many times brighter than the Moon as seen from Earth. There are some indications that Jupiter emits a ray of its own in addition to its reflected ray, but astrophysicists are not as yet in accord on that point.

Alchemist - the prototype of the modern chemist. An early school of scientists who sought a formula for the transformation of baser metals into gold - a quest laughed at for centuries but now realized through the modern atom-smasher. The Rosicrusians of the Middle Ages, supposed to possess powers of psychic perception, who sought the hidden spirit concealed in matter.

Alchemy - medieval chemical science, which sought the transmutation of other metals into gold, a universal cure for disease, and a formula for long life. The art of extracting juices from plants for medicinal purposes. In occult terminology, the chemistry of nature; based on a primary assumption that there exists a universal solvent by which all atomic elements can be transformed into their original substance.

Aleph (Heb., Ox.) - the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet; a symbolical reference to the constellation Taurus then considered the first Sign of the Zodiac. The most sacred of the Hebrew letters; seldom pronounced because indicative of the Diety.

All Saints Day - November 1st. Originally celebrated to commemorate the consecration of the Pantheon at Rome as a Christian church.

Almanac - a book or table containing a calendar of days, weeks and months, to which are added astronomical or other data. Its use dates back at least to the Alexandrian Greeks. The Roman almanac was the fasti - days on which business could be transacted. The earliest of which we have concise record is that of Solomon Jarchus, 1150 A.D.. Purbach published one from 1450-6. His pupil Regiomontanus issues the first printed almanac in 1475. The most outstanding almanac maker of the Middle Ages was Nostradamus. All English almanacs were prophetic until the year 1828; and until 1834 the stamp duty was 1s.3d. per copy. The first almanac in the U.S. was issued in 1639 by William Pierce. It was exceeded in popularity by Poor Richard's Almanac (1732-57) issued by Benjamin Franklin. Watkins Almanac, issued since 1868, has an annual circulation of upward of two million copies. The chief Astrological Almanacs of the present epoch are "Raphael's," first published in 1820, and "Zadkiel's," first published in 1830. All governments now issue an Ephemeris and a Nautical almanac. See "Ephemeris."

Almochoden, Alcohoden - Arabic term for the Hyleg.

Almuten - the planet of chief influence in a Nativity by virtue of essential and accidental dignities. Its strength is estimated from: its intrinsic character; its Sign position where posited, its own Sign, or the Sign in which it is in exaltation; its harmonious aspects from favoring planets; and its elevated position in a geoarc Figure. A term of Arabian origin, seldom employed by present day astrologers.

Altitude - elevation above the horizon, measured by the arc of a vertical circle. A planet is at meridian altitude when it is at the Midheaven, the cusp of the Tenth House.

Ambient - that which moves. A term loosely applied to the heavens. Milton speaks of the ambient air; Pope of ambient clouds. Ptolemy used it to describe the tenth sphere that by its compelling force moved all other spheres with it from the East across the heavens. Since Copernicus exploded this concept, the modern astrologer is free to apply this excellent term to the Earth's surrounding magnetic field as varyingly charged by virtue of the cycles of the planets, the Sunspot cycle, and other cosmic phenomena.

Anahibazon - arabic term for Caput Draconis (q.v.).

Anandrious - unmarried

Anareta, n., anaretic, a. (Gr., destroyer) - the planet which destroys form; that which kills, if such a term may be applied to a planet that unfavorably aspects the hyleg (q.v.).

Anaretic Point. Anaretic Place - the degree occupied by the Anareta.

Androgyne, n., androgynous, a. - hermaphroditic; having characteristics of both sexes. Said of the planet Mercury, which is both dry and moist.

Angels - the angels which were associated with the different planets. v. Planetary angels.

Angle (L., a corner) - any one of the four cardinal points in a Figure, or map, of the heavens; variously referring to the Zenith, or South Vertical; the Nadir, or North Vertical; and the East and West horizons: the cusps of the Tenth, Fourth, First and Seventh Houses, or the Medium Coeli, Immum Coeli, Oriens (Ascendant) and Occidens (Descendant) of a Solar or, indeed, of any Celestial Figure. Usually identified as the Southern, Northern, Eatern and Western angles. They are the most powerful and important arcs in Astrology. Planets therein become immensely potent for good or ill, according to the nature of the planets and their aspects. The term may refer to the shape and position of the House as placed on the square maps employed by the ancient astrologers. v. Map of the Heavens. Many depose that the Ascendant is the most powerful angle in any Figure, though Ptolemy gives preference to the Midheaven, or Zenith, since the celestial bodies are uniformly more potent in their effects at their meridian altitude than when rising.

Angstrom - a ten-billionth of a metre. Employed as a unit for measuring the wave lengths of light. Ten angstrom equal one millimicron. v. Wave Length.

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